New York, Jan 22, 2026, 06:01 (EST) — Premarket
U.S. stock index futures climbed early Thursday, signaling a stronger open for Wall Street following yesterday’s bounce. Dow e-mini futures jumped 179 points, S&P 500 e-mini futures advanced 41 points, and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures rose 220.75 points as of 4:26 a.m. ET. (Bloomberg)
Stocks jumped Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that a framework for a future Greenland deal means the tariffs set for Feb. 1 won’t be implemented, easing worries of another transatlantic trade clash. The Dow climbed 1.21%, the S&P 500 rose 1.16%, and the Nasdaq gained 1.18%, led by banks and energy sectors. (Reuters)
The snapback is key as traders have started viewing policy headlines as a fresh risk. In the next few hours, data releases could shake up rate expectations. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump ruled out seizing Greenland by force and later confirmed tariffs wouldn’t be necessary. Meanwhile, a signal from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Fed Governor Lisa Cook kept investors wary about the ongoing battle over the Fed’s independence. (Reuters)
The market took a sharp turn this week. Tuesday saw the three major indexes suffer their steepest single-day losses in three months as tariff threats rattled risk assets, pulling the S&P 500 and Nasdaq below their 50-day moving averages — a key technical indicator often seen as a warning sign. The CBOE Volatility Index, or Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” surged to its highest close since late November. (Reuters)
Thursday’s spotlight is on the data schedule. At 8:30 a.m. EST, the Bureau of Economic Analysis will roll out its updated estimate for third-quarter 2025 GDP, along with industry-level GDP figures and revised corporate profits. Then, at 10:00 a.m., personal income and outlays for October and November are expected, including the all-important PCE price index that the Fed watches closely. Weekly jobless claims also arrive at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
The focus shifts to the Fed next week, with its policy meeting set for Jan. 27-28. Traders will scrutinize inflation and growth data for hints on the duration of restrictive rates. (Federal Reserve)
Earnings will take center stage, with Intel set to report after Thursday’s close. The results will test the chipmaker’s turnaround narrative and offer a key read on the broader sector. “It’s the most optimistic, I think, people have felt about the company in a long time,” noted Ryuta Makino, an analyst at Intel investor Gabelli Funds. He highlighted expectations for stronger server demand, despite Intel facing stiff competition from AMD and others. (Reuters)
The risk for equities now is that any fresh policy flare-up hits before the data comes through. This week’s sharp swings revealed how swiftly tariff chatter can drown out the fundamentals, and investors haven’t had much chance to regain confidence since Tuesday’s sell-off.
Thursday kicks off with the 8:30 a.m. GDP update and jobless claims, then the 10:00 a.m. personal income and outlays report, which includes the key PCE inflation gauge. Intel’s earnings hit after the closing bell.
